Grade 2: Unit 6
Why are Louisiana festivals significant?
Content
Claims
Unit Connection
This instructional task engages students in content related to the following grade-level expectations:
 2.1.4 Explain reasons for local, state, and national celebrations, cultural events, and traditions and
their significance.
In this instructional task, students develop and express claims through discussions and writing that
explain why Louisiana cultural events are significant.
 Why do we have local, state, and national celebrations, cultural events, and traditions? (2.1.4)
 Why are local, state, and national celebrations, cultural events, and traditions significant? (2.1.4)
Formative Performance
Task 1
Supporting Questions
Tasks
Featured Sources
Formative Performance
Task 2
Formative Performance
Task 3
What are the similarities and
differences between Louisiana
festivals?
Students will compare and
contrast two different Louisiana
festivals.
Source A: “My Town’s Festival,”
ReadWorks
What is the significance of
Mardi Gras?
What is the significance of a
festival in the local area?
Students will describe Mardi
Gras and explain its significance.
Students will describe a local
festival and its significance.
Source D: Happy Mardi Gras,
Cornell Landry
Source E: Festival Search,
LouisianaTravel.com
Source B: Louisiana Folktale
Festival, Library of Congress
Source E: Fat Tuesday in
Louisiana, Library of Congress
Source C: Natchitoches
Christmas Festival, Library of
Congress
Summative
Performance Task
Write a persuasive letter to the principal explaining why your class should be able to have its own class
festival. Be sure to include what your class will be doing during the festival and what they would eat.
Use examples from the sources in the formative tasks where you learned about different festivals to
support your writing.
1
Grade 2: Unit 6
Formative Performance Task 1
Supporting Question
What are the similarities and differences between Louisiana festivals?
Task
Students will compare and contrast two different Louisiana festivals.
Featured Sources
Content and Claims
Source A: “My Town’s Festival,” ReadWorks
Source B: Louisiana Folktale Festival, Library of Congress
Source C: Natchitoches Christmas Festival, Library of Congress
In this formative performance task, students will compare and contrast state festivals and their
significance. (2.1.4)
Featured Sources
Source A: “My Town’s Festival,” ReadWorks
Source B: Louisiana Folktale Festival, Library of Congress
Source C: Natchitoches Christmas Festival, Library of Congress
Steps
1. Create an anchor chart to record student responses during the class discussion. A sample chart is included
below.
What do we know about
festivals?
2. Have students read Source A: “My Town’s Festival.”
3. Discuss the following aspects of festivals: food, music, yearly, crowds, arts and crafts, and write details students
share from the sources on the anchor chart. Be sure to write in complete sentences as a model for students.
4. Provide students with access to Source B: Louisiana Folktale Festival and Source C: Natchitoches Christmas
Festival.
5. Have students work in pairs to complete the Venn diagram on the next page to compare and contrast the two
festivals.
6. Conduct a class discussion about their Venn diagrams and discuss what is being celebrated for each festival.
While discussing, be sure to add details to the class anchor chart.
2
Grade 2: Unit 6
Venn Diagram
3
Grade 2: Unit 6
Student Look-Fors
1. The class anchor chart should begin compiling the list of characteristics as they explore different festivals. A
sample anchor chart is included below.
What do we know about festivals?
Festivals provide a way for a community to celebrate an aspect of the community.
Festivals happen yearly.
Certain types of food are featured at festivals, such as crawfish at the crawfish festival.
A variety of music is played at festivals.
Crowds of people attend the festivals.
Many festivals include arts and crafts.
Many festivals have performances, such as dancing and storytelling.
Festivals may have fireworks or parades.
2. Students should identify differences and similarities between the two festivals and complete the Venn diagram.
3. Student responses should follow the English language arts standards for speaking and listening, writing, and
language at grade 2.
Louisiana Folktale Festival
This festival
happens in
Monroe, LA.
There are crafts.
There is music.
There is
storytelling.
Natchitoches Christmas Festival
There is cooking
and food
vendors at both
festivals.
These happen
once a year.
This festival happens in
Natchitoches, LA.
There are fireworks.
There is a parade of
decorated barges
There is a light show.
4
Grade 2: Unit 6
Formative Performance Task 2
Supporting Question
What is the significance of Mardi Gras?
Task
Students will describe Mardi Gras and explain its significance
Featured Source
Source D: Happy Mardi Gras, Cornell Landry
Source E: Fat Tuesday in Louisiana, Library of Congress
Content and Claims
In this formative performance task, students will describe a state festival and its significance. (2.1.4)
Featured Source
Source D: Happy Mardi Gras, Cornell Landry
Source E: Fat Tuesday in Louisiana, Library of Congress
Steps
1. Read aloud Source D: Happy Mardi Gras.
2. Conduct a class discussion about the key details in the book. Record answers of chart paper. Possible questions:
a. How are the parades different?
b. How long have Louisianans been celebrating Mardi Gras? Refer to the timeline at the back of the book.
c. Describe the clothing. What is the significance of the clothing?
d. What are the colors of Mardi Gras? What do those colors represent?
3. Provide students with access to Source E: Fat Tuesday in Louisiana.
4. Conduct a class discussion about the key details in the text. Add answers to the chart paper. Possible questions:
a. What does Mardi Gras mean in English? What is the significance of this name?
b. What heritages are represented at Mardi Gras?
5. Have students create a Mardi Gras mask from construction paper.
6. On the mask, ask students to draw pictures representing objects or events at Mardi Gras.
7. On the back of the mask, have students write 2-3 sentences explaining the significance of Mardi Gras.
Student Look-Fors
1. Students should describe the aspects of Mardi Gras and explain its significance.
2. Student masks should include pictures depicting Mardi Gras and at least two sentences explaining its
significance.
3. Student responses should follow the English language arts standards for speaking and listening, writing, and
language at grade 2.
5
Grade 2: Unit 6
Formative Performance Task 3
Supporting Question
What is the significance of a festival in the local area?
Task
Students will describe a local festival and its significance.
Featured Sources
Source E: Festival Search, LouisianaTravel.com
Content and Claims
In this formative performance task, students will describe local festivals and their significance. (2.1.4)
Featured Sources
Source E: Festival Search, LouisianaTravel.com
Steps
1. Provide students with access to Source E: Festival Search.
2. Have students work in groups to conduct research on one of the festivals. Have students create a page that
represents the festival, including all the aspects that were included on the class anchor chart. Create a class
book by combining all the pages about the festivals. Possible guiding questions:
a. What is the significance of your festival?
b. What events are part of the festival?
c. Are there any featured foods?
d. What other aspects of the festival should be highlighted to promote the festival?
3. Have students present their findings on their festival to the class.
Student Look-Fors
1. Students should describe the aspects of the local festival and explain its significance.
2. Student pages should include pictures depicting the festival and its significance.
3. Student responses should follow the English language arts standards for speaking and listening, written
expression, and language at grade 2.
6
Grade 2: Unit 6
Sample Page on Amite Oyster Festival
Amite Oyster
Festival
Spring of Every Year
Amite, Louisiana
Celebrating Oysters, Our Community’s Pearl!
Food
Events
Oysters, Oysters,
and More Oysters – Fried,
Raw, Charbroiled
Scavenger Hunt
Beauty Pageant
Mad Hatter’s Tea
5K Race
Parade
Car Show
Local Talent
Carnival Rides
Live Music
Oyster-eating Contest
Chili Cook-off
7
Grade 2: Unit 6
Summative Performance Task
Compelling Question
Why are Louisiana festivals significant?
Task
Write a persuasive letter to the principal explaining why your class should be able to have its own class
festival. Be sure to include what your class will be doing during the festival and what they would eat. Use
examples from the sources in the formative tasks where you learned about different festivals to support
your writing.
Teacher Overview
In this summative performance task, students are asked to write a persuasive letter requesting permission for a class
festival.
Students gained knowledge about what a festival is, characteristics of a festival, and the significance of various festivals.
Students also practiced skills in conducting research, writing, and speaking, such as learning about a festival, creating a
page for a class book, and presenting their findings to the class.
Student Prompt
Write a persuasive letter to the principal explaining why your class should be able to have its own class festival. Be sure
to include what your class will be doing during the festival and what they would eat. Use examples from the sources in
the formative tasks where you learned about different festivals to support your writing.
Student Look-Fors
1. An exemplar response may include but is not limited to:
a. Type of festival
b. Significance of the festival
c. Activities to be done during the festival
d. Suggested food
2. A strong response:
a. References documents appropriately.
i. Significance of the festival. (Sources A -E)
ii. Related food, such as oysters at the Oyster Festival. (Source E)
iii. Suggested activities similar to those at other festivals, such as music, contests, etc. (Sources A-E)
b. Applies the provided evidence and provides additional information outside of the provided sources.
i. Persuasive wording
ii. Writing of a letter
3. Student responses should follow the English language arts standards for speaking and listening, writing, and
language at grade 2.
8
Grade 2: Unit 6
Sample Letter to Principal
Dear Mr. James,
We have been studying about festivals. I would like for you to consider allowing us to have a class festival. I think we
should celebrate baseball, because we have been learning about baseball in PE. Also, my teacher read us a story
about a famous baseball player.
Just like other Louisiana festivals, we could have lots of things to do and eat. We could sing “Take Me Out to the
Ballgame,” learn about the history of baseball, and even play a game of baseball. Every festival has good food, so we
would like to have food too. I think hotdogs and popcorn would be great. That’s what they like to have at baseball
games.
Thank you for considering letting us have a class festival. You are welcome to attend.
Sincerely,
Ryan
9